Maze & The Whispers in Winston-Salem

Maze is an American soul and funk band founded by singer, songwriter and guitarist Frankie Beverly in Philadelphia in 1970. Originally called Raw Soul, the group became known as Maze featuring Frankie Beverly and built its catalogue around songs including “Before I Let Go,” “Joy and Pain,” “Golden Time of Day” and “Southern Girl.” In the 1970s, Maze opened concerts for Marvin Gaye after relocating to San Francisco. Performances recorded in New Orleans in 1980 formed the core of Live in New Orleans, and the band later developed a long association with Essence Festival, which honored Beverly during a farewell appearance in 2024. Maze also performed at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, while the concert album Live in Los Angeles documented the band’s stage work in California.

The Whispers are an American vocal group formed in Watts in 1963, known for polished soul, funk and R&B built around close harmonies. Their signature recordings include “And the Beat Goes On,” “Rock Steady,” “It’s a Love Thing” and “Lady.” In 1972, the group performed at Wattstax at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, placing its early concert history inside the landmark Stax event. Decades later, the concert release Live from Las Vegas documented The Whispers performing their established repertoire in Las Vegas.